Career and Education Opportunities for Librarians in Elizabeth, New Jersey

There is a wide variety of career and education opportunities for librarians in the Elizabeth, New Jersey area. The national trend for librarians sees this job pool growing by about 7.8% over the next eight years. Librarians generally administer libraries and perform related library services.

Librarians earn approximately $28 hourly or $59,680 per year on average in New Jersey. Nationally they average about $25 per hour or $52,530 per year. Compared with people working in the overall category of Libraries and Museums, people working as librarians in New Jersey earn more. They earn more than people working in the overall category of Libraries and Museums nationally. People working as librarians can fill a number of jobs, such as: library technical assistant, medical librarian, and instruction librarian.

The Elizabeth area is home to 298 schools of higher education, including seven within twenty-five miles of Elizabeth where you can get a degree as a librarian. Librarians usually hold a Master's degree, so you can expect to spend about six years studying to be a librarian if you already have a high school diploma, or just 2 years if you have a Bachelor's degree.

CAREER DESCRIPTION: Librarian

Librarian video from the State of New Jersey Dept. of Labor and Workforce Development

In general, librarians administer libraries and perform related library services. They also work in a variety of settings, including public libraries, schools, colleges and universities, museums, corporations, government agencies, law firms, non-profit organizations, and healthcare providers.

Librarians engage in professional development efforts, such as taking continuing education classes and attending or participating in conferences and associations. They also locate unusual or unique data in response to specific requests. Equally important, librarians have to search standard reference materials, including online sources and the Internet, to respond to patrons' reference questions. They are often called upon to analyze patrons' requests to establish needed data, and help in furnishing or locating that data. They are expected to respond to customer complaints, taking action as needed. Finally, librarians evaluate vendor products and performance and place orders.

Every day, librarians are expected to be able to read and understand documents and reports. They need to articulate ideas and problems. It is also important that they listen to and understand others in meetings.

It is important for librarians to talk with colleagues and community members and organizations to conduct informational programs, make collection decisions, and decide on library services to offer. They are often called upon to furnish input into the architectural planning of library facilities. They also teach library patrons basic computer skills. They are sometimes expected to inspect and evaluate materials, using book reviews and current holdings, to decide on and order print, audiovisual, and electronic resources. Somewhat less frequently, librarians are also expected to formulate and participate in fundraising drives.

Librarians sometimes are asked to design library policies and procedures. They also have to be able to compile records of books and audiovisual materials on particular subjects and perform public relations work for the library. And finally, they sometimes have to manage interlibrary loans of materials not available in a particular library.

Like many other jobs, librarians must believe in cooperation and coordination and believe in an agile approach to problem solving and deal with change.

Similar jobs with educational opportunities in Elizabeth include:

Archivist. Appraise, edit, and direct safekeeping of permanent records and historically valuable documents. Participate in research activities based on archival materials.

Audio-Visual Director. Prepare, plan, and operate audio-visual teaching aids for use in education. May record, catalogue, and file audio-visual materials.

Curator. Administer affairs of museum and conduct research programs. Direct instructional, research, and public service activities of institution.

Elementary School Teacher. Teach pupils in public or private schools at the elementary level basic academic, social, and other formative skills.

Museum Technician. Prepare specimens, such as fossils, skeletal parts, and textiles, for museum collection and exhibits. May restore documents or install, arrange, and exhibit materials.

EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES: Librarian Training

St. John's University-New York - Queens, NY

St. John's University-New York, 8000 Utopia Pky, Queens, NY 11439. St. John's University-New York is a large university located in Queens, New York. It is a private not-for-profit school with primarily 4-year or above programs. It has 20,109 students and an admission rate of 56%. St. John's University-New York has a master's degree program in Library Science/Librarianship which graduated twenty-five students in 2008.

Columbia University in the City of New York - New York, NY

Columbia University in the City of New York, 116 St and Broadway, New York, NY 10027. Columbia University in the City of New York is a large university located in New York, New York. It is a private not-for-profit school with primarily 4-year or above programs. It has 22,940 students and an admission rate of 11%. Columbia University in the City of New York has a doctor's degree program in Library Science/Librarianship.

CUNY Queens College - Flushing, NY

CUNY Queens College, 65-30 Kissena Blvd, Flushing, NY 11367-0904. CUNY Queens College is a large college located in Flushing, New York. It is a public school with primarily 4-year or above programs. It has 19,504 students and an admission rate of 40%. CUNY Queens College has a master's degree program in Library Science/Librarianship which graduated 142 students in 2008.

New York University - New York, NY

New York University, 70 Washington Sq South, New York, NY 10012-1091. New York University is a large university located in New York, New York. It is a private not-for-profit school with primarily 4-year or above programs. It has 42,204 students and an admission rate of 32%. New York University has 2 areas of study related to Librarian. They are:

Library Science/Librarianship, master's degree.

Library Science, Other Specialties, post-master's certificate which graduated 8 students in 2008.

Rutgers University-New Brunswick - New Brunswick, NJ

Rutgers University-New Brunswick, 83 Somerset St, New Brunswick, NJ 08901-1281. Rutgers University-New Brunswick is a large university located in New Brunswick, New Jersey. It is a public school with primarily 4-year or above programs. It has 36,041 students and an admission rate of 56%. Rutgers University-New Brunswick has a master's degree and a doctor's degree program in Library Science/Librarianship which graduated 124 and fourteen students respectively in 2008.

Pratt Institute-Main - Brooklyn, NY

Pratt Institute-Main, 200 Willoughby Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11205. Pratt Institute-Main is a small school located in Brooklyn, New York. It is a private not-for-profit school with primarily 4-year or above programs. It has 4,925 students and an admission rate of 43%. Pratt Institute-Main has 2 areas of study related to Librarian. They are:

School Librarian/School Library Media Specialist, master's degree which graduated 6 students in 2008.

Library Science/Librarianship, postbaccalaureate certificate and master's degree which graduated zero and 207 students respectively in 2008.

Seton Hall University - South Orange, NJ

Seton Hall University, 400 S Orange Ave, South Orange, NJ 07079-2697. Seton Hall University is a medium sized university located in South Orange, New Jersey. It is a private not-for-profit school with primarily 4-year or above programs. It has 9,592 students and an admission rate of 73%. Seton Hall University has a master's degree and a post-master's certificate program in School Librarian/School Library Media Specialist which graduated eight and one students respectively in 2008.

LOCATION INFORMATION: Elizabeth, New Jersey

Elizabeth, New Jersey photo by Cobber17

Elizabeth is situated in Union County, New Jersey. It has a population of over 124,755, which has grown by 3.5% over the last ten years. The cost of living index in Elizabeth, 140, is far greater than the national average. New single-family homes in Elizabeth are valued at $321,400 on average, which is far greater than the state average. In 2008, eight new homes were constructed in Elizabeth, up from six the previous year.

The three most popular industries for women in Elizabeth are health care, educational services, and accommodation and food services. For men, it is construction, accommodation and food services, and other transportation, and support activities, and couriers. The average travel time to work is about 28 minutes. More than 12.1% of Elizabeth residents have a bachelor's degree, which is lower than the state average. The percentage of residents with a graduate degree, 4.2%, is lower than the state average.

The unemployment rate in Elizabeth is 12.4%, which is greater than New Jersey's average of 9.3%.

The percentage of Elizabeth residents that are affiliated with a religious congregation, 65.5%, is more than both the national and state average. First Pentecostal Church, Christ Episcopal Church and Alliance International Fellowship Church are some of the churches located in Elizabeth. The largest religious groups are the Catholic Church, the Presbyterian Church (USA) and the American Baptist Churches in the USA.

Elizabeth is home to the North Elizabeth Station and the Julian Station as well as Kellogg Park and Jackson Park. Visitors to Elizabeth can choose from Hampton Inn Newark-Airport, Centro America Express and Hilton Newark Airport for temporary stays in the area.